Relay Communication System Supporting Multiple Hops and Access Method Thereof
The present invention discloses a relay communication system supporting multiple hops and an access method of a relay communication system supporting multiple hops. The access method comprises: a second node residing in a first node and setting up an air interface connection with the first node; the second node setting up a connection with a core network through the first node; the first node forwarding, as a gateway, data between the second node and the core network, while acting as a core network gateway which serves the second node; and while acting as the core network gateway, setting up a connection with the second node under control of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and allocating addresses; and the first node applying for creating channels and applying for addresses to a network element of the core network which serves the first node.
Latest ZTE CORPORATION Patents:
- USER SELECTION METHOD, INFORMATION SENDING METHOD, COMMUNICATION NODE AND STORAGE MEDIUM
- METHOD, DEVICE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
- METHOD, DEVICE, AND SYSTEM FOR PHYSICAL CHANNEL ENCRYPTION IN WIRELESS NETWORKS
- SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTHORIZATION OF PROXIMITY BASED SERVICES
- MULTICAST BROADCAST SERVICE RESOURCE CONFIGURATION AND UPDATE
The present invention relates to service transmission technologies in a relay link in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, and in particular, to a relay communication system supporting multiple hops and an access method of the relay communication system supporting multiple hops.
BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ARTIn the cellular wireless communication system, wireless coverage of a fixed eNB network is limited due to various reasons, for example, block of wireless signals by various building structures causes coverage leak existing in the coverage of the wireless network. On the other hand, at edge regions of a cell, attenuation of wireless signal strength and interferences between adjacent cells results in poor communication quality of the UE when being at edges of the cell and rise of the error rate of wireless transmission. In order to improve the coverage rate of data rate, group mobility, temporary network deployment, throughput at edge regions of the cell and coverage of a new area, a scheme is provided for introducing a wireless network node, which is referred to as a relay, in the cellular wireless communication system.
The relay is a station which relays data between other network nodes through a wireless link and can control information functions, and is also referred to as a relay node/relay station.
The relay may relay data by various methods, such as directly amplifying a received radio signal transmitted by the eNB; or processing, such as demodulating or decoding, data transmitted by the eNB accordingly after receiving the data, and then forward the data to the UE, or the eNB and the relay cooperatively transmitting data to the UE, and conversely, the relay will also relay the data transmitted from the UE to the eNB.
Among many types of relay, characteristics of one type of relay will be described as follows: the UE can not distinguish cells under the relay from those under the fixed eNB, from the perspective of the UE, the relay itself is a cell and has no difference from the cell under the eNB. Such cell can be referred to as a relay cell. The relay cell has its own Physical Cell Identity (PCI), and transmits broadcast like ordinary cells. When the UE resides in the relay cell, the relay cell can individually allocate and schedule radio resources to the UE for use, and can be independent of radio resource scheduling of the eNB participating in the relay. The eNB to which the relay is connected through a backhaul link is referred to as a Donor NodeB/eNodeB (DNB/DeNB). The interface and protocol stack between the relay cell and the relay UE are the same as those between an ordinary eNB cell and an ordinary UE.
Each eNB is connected to a System Architecture Evolution (SAE) core network via a S1 interface, i.e., is connected to the MME via a control plane S1-MME interface, is connected to the S-GW via a user plane S1-U interface. The S1 interface supports multipoint connections between the eNB and the MME and S-GW. The MME and the S-GW are connected via a S11 interface, the S-GW and the P-GW are connected via a S5 interface and can also be combined into one network element, and at this point, the S5 interface does not exist. The eNBs are connected with each other via an X2 interface. Each eNB transmitting signaling and data to the UE via an Uu interface (which is originally defined as a wireless interface between the UTRAN and the UE). After the relay is introduced, the wireless interface between the relay and the eNB is an Un interface, and the interface between the relay and the UE is the same as that between the eNB and the UE and thus is also an Uu interface.
Usually, operators deploy relays for several reasons, such as lack of terrestrial transmission resources, or a single relay cannot satisfy requirements of extensive or long distance network layout and can only be deployed around an eNB having terrestrial transmission resources when the terrestrial transmission cannot operate in the event of a disaster or the mobile cellular network is deployed rapidly in a short time. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of deployment scope, the concept of multiple hops is introduced, i.e., after accessing the eNB, the relay can further continue to act as an access node of subsequent relays, so as to form a multi-hop structure.
CONTENT OF THE INVENTIONIn view of this, a main object of the present invention is to provide a relay communication system supporting multiple hops and an access method of the relay communication system supporting multiple hops so as to implement data transmission in the multi-hop relay communication system in relatively flexible transmission modes.
In order to achieve the above object, the technical scheme of the present invention is implemented as follows:
The present invention provides a relay communication system supporting multiple hops comprising a donor node, at least one host node and a core network, wherein the donor node provides a wireless access connection to the at least one host node, and provides, as a gateway or an agent, communication between the at least one host node and the core network.
Preferably, the donor node includes a relay or an eNB; and the host node is a relay.
Preferably, while acting as the agent, the donor node is regarded as a core network for the host node, and is regarded as a host node for the core network; and the donor node receives a message of the agent to forward to a target network element of the agent.
Preferably, the donor node converts, as a gateway, a message of a received protocol/protocol stack into a message of a protocol/protocol stack to be transmitted and transmits the message.
Preferably, during the conversion of the messages, protocol conversion is not performed on bearer portions of the protocol/protocol stack and the protocol/protocol stack to be transmitted in the messages.
Preferably, the donor node provides a wireless access connection for a User Equipment (UE) connected to the host node.
Preferably, the wireless access connection is based on wireless cellular technologies, including Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).
The present invention provides an access method of a relay communication system supporting multiple hops comprising:
a host node residing in a donor node and setting up an air interface connection with the donor node;
the host node setting up a connection with a core network through the donor node;
the donor node forwarding, as a gateway, data between the host node and the core network, while acting as a core network gateway which serves the host node; and while acting as the core network gateway, setting up a connection with the host node under control of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and allocating addresses; and
the donor node applying for creating channels and applying for addresses to a network element of the core network which serves the donor node.
Preferably, the donor node includes a relay or an eNB; and the host node is a relay.
Preferably, the process of setting up the air interface is a RRC connection setup process; and the process of setting up the connection with the core network is an attach process.
Preferably, the core network gateway includes a Service Gateway (SGW) and/or a Packet data network Gateway (PGW).
Preferably, the donor node applying for creating the channels and applying for the addresses to the network element of the core network which serves the donor node is triggered when the donor node sets up the connection with the host node under control of the MME and allocates the addresses while acting as the core network gateway.
The present invention provides an access method of a relay communication system supporting multiple hops comprising:
a host node residing in a donor node and setting up an air interface connection with the donor node;
the host node setting up a connection with a core network through the donor node; and
while acting as an agent, the donor node being regarded as a core network for the host relay and being regarded as a host node for the core network; and while acting as a core network gateway, the donor node serving the host node.
Preferably, the donor node being regarded as the core network specifically is that:
the donor de acts as an agent of a core network MME and an agent of the core network gateway; while acting as the agent of the core network MME, the donor node is regarded as a MME for the host node and is regarded as a host node for the MME; and while acting as the agent of the core network gateway, the donor ode is regarded as a core network gateway.
Preferably, white acting as the core network gateway, the donor node sets up the connection with the host node under control of the MME and allocates addresses
Preferably, the core network gateway includes a SGW and/or a PGW.
In the communication system supporting multiple hops in accordance with the present invention, donor relays (multi-hop) or DeNBs (single-hop or multi-hop) may be set as transit gates rays for user data by various wireless sub-network connections between relays or between the relay and the DeNB so as to forward interactive data between the user data and an EPC through these set gateways (the donor relays or the DeNBs), thus supporting UE access and implementing corresponding services. Or, a data forwarding manner for directly forwarding the user data to the EPC is provided on the relays, the donor relays or the DeNBs, and the direct interaction (logically) between the user data and the EPC is implemented by setting underlying forwarding configuration on the above network elements. In the present invention, the wireless sub-network configuration between the relays or between the relay and the DeNB is flexible, the data transmission rate is relatively rapid, the supported bandwidth is relatively wide, and the data transmission can be implemented in the multi-hop relay corm communication systems in relatively flexible transmission modes.
The basic idea of the present invention is that: in a communication system supporting multiple hops in accordance with the present invention, donor relays (multi-hop) or DeNBs (single-hop or multi-hop) may be set as transit gateways for user data by various wireless sub-network connections between relays or between the relay and the DeNB so as to forward interactive data between the user data and an EPC through these set gateways (the donor relays or the DeNBs), thus supporting UE access and implementing corresponding services. Or, a data forwarding manner for directly forwarding the user data to the EPC is provided on the relays, the donor relays or the DeNBs, and the direct interaction (logically) between the user data and the EPC is implemented by setting underlying forwarding configuration on the above network elements. In the present invention, the wireless sub-network configuration between the relays or between the relay and the DeNB is flexible, the data transmission rate is relatively rapid, the supported bandwidth is relatively wide, and the data transmission can be implemented in the multi-hop relay communication systems in relatively flexible transmission modes.
In order for objects, technical schemes and advantages of the present invention to be more clear and apparent, the present invention will be further described in detail by way of example and in combination with accompanying drawings.
In the multi-hop relay system, the donor relay node converts, as a protocol conversion node, communication protocols of relays under the donor relay node and a donor network element in which the donor relay node is located. In the existing network architecture, this type of protocol conversion network element is referred to as a gateway. In a single relay system, the DeNB is a gateway, which connects the relay with a MME or SGW/PGW of a core network.
Thereafter, relay2 starts, as an eNB, the S1 setup procedure to set up the eNB. In sub-network2, relay2 regards relay1 as an agent of the MME and SGW/PGW and an adjacent eNB, transmits an S1 setup message of step 8 to relay1. After converting the protocol, relay1 transmits the S1 setup message to the DeNB in subnetwork 1, and then transmits it to a real UE MME after conversion by the DeNB.
Through the UE access process of steps 11-17, transmission channels of C11, B11, A11, D11 are created, and the protocol conversion relationship of two gateways therein may be shown in the following table, where the IP is omitted, and IP matching in the process of matching table items may be also required. As shown in table 1:
The transmission channel to the UE SGW/PGW can be created, and the UE can enter the service network used by APP, such as Internet, through the UE SGW/PGW.
The above description is only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A relay communication system supporting multiple hops comprising a donor node, at least one host node and a core network, wherein the donor node provides a wireless access connection to the at least one host node, and provides, as a gateway or an agent, communication between the at least one host node and the core network.
2. The relay communication system according to claim 1, wherein the donor node includes a relay or an eNB; and the host node is a relay.
3. The relay communication system according to claim 1, wherein while acting as the agent, the donor node is regarded as a core network for the host node, and is regarded as a host node for the core network; and the donor node receives a message of the agent to forward to a target network element of the agent.
4. The relay communication system according to claim 1, wherein the donor node converts, as a gateway, a message of a received protocol/protocol stack into a message of a protocol/protocol stack to be transmitted and transmits the message.
5. The relay communication system according to claim 4, wherein during the conversion of the messages, protocol conversion is not performed on bearer portions of the protocol/protocol stack and the protocol/protocol stack to be transmitted in the messages.
6. The relay communication system according to claim 1, wherein the donor node provides a wireless access connection for a User Equipment (UE) connected to the host node.
7. The relay communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless access connection is based on wireless cellular technologies, including Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).
8. An access method of a relay communication system supporting multiple hops comprising:
- a host node residing in a donor node and setting up an air interface connection with the donor node;
- the host node setting up a connection with a core network through the donor node;
- the donor node forwarding, as a gateway, data between the host node and the core network, while acting as a core network gateway which serves the host node; and while acting as the core network gateway, setting up a connection with the host node under control of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and allocating addresses; and
- the donor node applying for creating channels and applying for addresses to a network element of the core network which serves the donor node.
9. The access method according to claim 8, wherein the donor node includes a relay or an eNB; and the host node is a relay.
10. The access method according to claim 8, wherein the process of setting up the air interface is a RRC connection setup process; and the process of setting up the connection with the core network is an attach process.
11. The access method according to claim 9, wherein the core network gateway includes a Service Gateway (SGW) and/or a Packet data network Gateway (PGW).
12. The access method according to claim 8, wherein the donor node applying for creating the channels and applying for the addresses to the network element of the core network which serves the donor node is triggered when the donor node sets up the connection with the host node under control of the MME and allocates the addresses while acting as the core network gateway.
13. An access method of a relay communication system supporting multiple hops comprising:
- a host node residing in a donor node and setting up an air interface connection with the donor node;
- the host node setting up a connection with a core network through the donor node; and
- while acting as an agent, the donor node being regarded as a core network for the host relay and being regarded as a host node for the core network; and while acting as a core network gateway, the donor node serving the host node.
14. The access method according to claim 13, wherein the donor node being regarded as the core network specifically is that:
- the donor node acts as an agent of a core network MME and an agent of the core network gateway; while acting as the agent of the core network MME, the donor node is regarded as a MME for the host node and is regarded as a host node for the MME; and while acting as the agent of the core network gateway, the donor node is regarded as a core network gateway.
15. The access method according to claim 13, wherein while acting as the core network gateway, the donor node sets up the connection with the host node under control of the MME and allocates addresses
16. The access method according to claim 13, wherein the core network gateway includes a SGW and/or a PGW.
17. The relay communication system according to claim 2, wherein the wireless access connection is based on wireless cellular technologies, including Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).
18. The relay communication system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless access connection is based on wireless cellular technologies, including Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).
19. The relay communication system according to claim 4, wherein the wireless access connection is based on wireless cellular technologies, including Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long Term Evolution (LTE).
20. The access method according to claim 10, wherein the core network gateway includes a Service Gateway (SGW) and/or a Packet data network Gateway (PGW).
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 30, 2010
Publication Date: Jun 7, 2012
Patent Grant number: 9380637
Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION (Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province)
Inventor: Yada Huang (Shenzhen)
Application Number: 13/389,523
International Classification: H04W 76/02 (20090101); H04W 88/16 (20090101); H04W 88/04 (20090101);